Grand Canyon view |
A friend of mine went out to Arizona a couple of weeks ago - lucky dog. I
love Arizona .
I wish everybody could see the Grand Canyon at
least once in their life. And Monument
Valley . And several other
parts of that wonderful state. But it got me thinking. Ever since that movie
came out everyone’s suddenly got a ‘bucket list.’ They have the top 10 or 100 or
5,001 places to visit before you die. I’ve come up with a ‘bucket list’ of my
own - for traveler’s. But it’s not about picking which places to visit, sometimes
it’s not so much WHERE you go but how you experience the journey. Kind of like
life.
1. Visit
your nation’s capitol. It is amazing in ways you never imagined.
Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C. |
2. Visit
a foreign country. Whether it’s one city or a tour through the countryside,
experiencing another culture is a great experience. And what better way to
bring people together than to reach across barriers.
Bartering in Kenya |
3. See
one of the natural wonders of the world. It could be Mt.
Everest , or it could be the Sahara Desert, but standing on the edge of a
majestic work of nature is a humbling experience. It makes you realize how small you are in this world.
Grand Canyon view |
4. Do
something outside your comfort zone. Hang glide, Zip line, Hike or go on a
Rafting trip. If you can overcome a fear, be it of water, heights, or birds,
it’s worthwhile and makes it easer to do the second time around.
5. Learn a foreign language. There is no better feeling of accomplishment than being able to converse with someone in their native tongue, ask for directions, or just confidently order a meal!
what? |
7. Take a
train trip. In this day of hurry up, it’s such a relaxing way to travel. It's a great way to meet people, have conversations with interesting strangers, relax - and enjoy the view!
View from the train window |
8. Experience
luxury. Splurge at least once and be pampered. A great hotel room, a
gourmet experience, a spa treatment or a round of golf at a world class
course. Treat yourself! Just be warned – it’s hard to go back to average.
9. Taste
something you normally turn up your nose at! Squid? Chocolate covered
grasshoppers? Mudbugs? For me it was Black Pudding. It wasn’t bad and at least I
can say I tried it!
10. Veer
off the beaten path. Sticking to the itinerary is great, but you could
miss the world’s most fabulous museum or a spectacular sunrise or a chance
encounter with – who knows? It’s good to be spontaneous once in a
while.
Having fun! |
11. Take at least one of the trips on your bucket list! On the cheap if you have to, in style if you can afford to. But just GO! You won't be sorry. And oh, the stories you'll have to tell.
As always, words and photos are my own, and require permission to reprint. However, feel free to share the blog in it's entirety. In fact, I encourage it!
Interested in photo prints? Contact me! maureenblevins@yahoo.com
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Maureen,
ReplyDeleteI'm all charged up and ready to go, thank you for the inspiration! Your writing and photos start ones journey of adventure...
Phyllis